Protect Your Practice From Handpiece Infection Control Risk

Effective handpiece infection control starts with a diligent understanding of, and compliance with, CDC infection control guidelines. “Guidelines” is a misnomer since every state dental board has rules requiring that you follow CDC guidelines as a condition of continued licensure. Federal and state OSHA perform inspections of dental practices, and hefty fines are levied for failure to follow CDC guidelines. If a patient is cross-infected and becomes seriously ill in a practice that is not in compliance with CDC guidelines, loss of license, malpractice liability, and even criminal prosecution could follow.

CDC guidelines state that anything that attaches to the air/water supply hose must be heat sterilized between patients. This includes highspeed handpieces and swivel couplers, lowspeed handpieces (prophy handpieces, air motors, straight and contra-angle lowspeed attachments, and reusable prophy heads), air-driven scalers, electric motors and their attachments (straight and contra-angle). Plastic sleeves and other barrier techniques that were often used on prophy and other lowspeed handpieces in the past are not compliant.

Lares Research is focused on meeting your infection control needs with affordable, factory-direct pricing, and handpieces specifically designed to withstand repeated heat sterilization. Together we can eliminate handpiece infection control risk in your practice.

Craig J. Lares, President